Over the past 5 years, I’ve loved my work as a Teaching Pastor at City Church San Francisco. I started our counseling center and co-founded Newbigin House of Studies, with its Newbigin Fellows program and Master of Divinity program, which exists because of a partnership with Western Sem. This transition is a next step in an extraordinary partnership between City Church SF and Western Sem – a relationship which allows us to offer graduate theological education which benefits from the best the academy has to offer and the best a thriving urban, missional church has to offer.

This transition will allow me to teach what I know best – pastoral care and counseling – while remaining a Senior Fellow at Newbigin House, continuing to strengthen the relationship between the church and seminary. I make this transition with the blessing of my good friends and colleagues – Fred Harrell and Scot Sherman – who’ve spent countless hours processing the wisdom of this transition for all of us. In the end, we think this is a ‘next step’ for Newbigin House, and we’re all quite excited for what’s next.

With this partnership, we’ve started a Master of Divinity program and we’re about to launch an MA program, both of which combine the resources of the seminary and City Church San Francisco. I’m excited to focus my energy on teaching what I know best, while continuing to write as a Reformed Christian interested in the intersection of psychology and theology. I’m looking forward to writing and speaking more in this area, and am quite excited that Eerdmans has picked up my next book specifically designed for leaders and pastors.

Please pray for my family as we transition to Holland, MI, in late June, and for City Church and Western Seminary as we further strengthen and develop this unique partnership. Exciting times for all!

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Chuck DeGroat

Chuck is Professor of Pastoral Care and Christian Spirituality at Western Theological Seminary MI, and Senior Fellow at Newbigin House of Studies. Click the pic to read more.